Chanukkah history and background pt. 1

The Historical Background

The "Feast of Dedication" stands out among the celebrations of the scriptures. This is because it does not appear among the Feasts of Yahveh in Leviticus 23. Despite the fact that Chanukkah is not spoken of by Moshe (Moses), we should not assume that it is therefore non-scriptual. As we shall see, it is indeed mentioned in later scriptural passages.

To fully understand this kadosh day, go back to a tumultuous time in the history of Israel: the Hellenistic period around 167 B.C.E. As was so often the case, the Jewish people were living under the oppression of a foreign power. A few generations earlier, the Greeks had come to world power under the remarkable leadership of Alexander the Great. With the ascention of this kingdom, Alexander seemed to have unified the ancient world into one common government and culture called Hellenism.

After Alexander's untimely death, there was a political scramble among four of his generals, resulting in the division of the Hellenistic empire. The Ptolemies took control of the south, which included Egypt. The Seleucids took charge of the nothern area around Syria. This left Judea caught in the middle of a tug-of-war, wondering what the outcome would be. Eventually, the Seleucid/Syrians, under the leadership of Antiochus IV, gained power and sought control of the new provinces.

Seeking to unify his holdings, Antiochus enforced a policy of assimilation into prevaling Hellenistic culture. Irrespective of the culture and beliefs of the captured peoples, the Seleucids required submission to the Greek way of life. The Greeks thought that to be truly effective this assimilation must apply to all aspects of life, including language, the arts, and even religion. Everything was to conform to the "superior" Greek way of life and values.

Not surprisingly, this Hellenization policy did not present a major problem for many people under the Seleucids. Indeed, the Greeks were highly respected for their culture. Even many Jews in Judea had converted to the Hellenistic way and openly advocated adherence to it. However, there were a significant number of traditional Jews who were appalled at the changes in their society. Antiochus and the Seleucids continued growing more hostile towards these stubborn Jews who did not convert to Hellenism. Steps were taken to enforce their policy.

An ultimatum was given: either the Jewish community must give up it's distinctive customs (Shabbat, kosher laws, circumcision, etc.) or die. To prove his point, Antiochus marched his troops into Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple. The altars, the utensils, even the golden menorah (lampstand) were all defiled or torn down. But that was just the start!